He spoke with a heartfelt anxiety, yet he now looked handsome with love and feeling.
"My friend, my benefactor," answered Eva, and wiped away some tears which rolled down her cheeks, "see into--read my inmost heart. Grat.i.tude led me to the acknowledgment of your worth, and both have led me to love; not the pa.s.sionate love which I once felt--but never more can feel--but a deep inward devotion, which will make me and, as I also hope, you happy, and which nothing further can disturb. To live for you, and next to you for my family, is the highest wish that I have on earth.
I can candidly say that in this moment there is no one whom I love more than you. Is that enough for you?"
The a.s.sessor riveted his deep eyes searchingly and penetratingly on Eva.
"Kiss me!" said he, at once short and sharp.
With an indescribably charming submission, Eva bowed her blushing face and kissed him.
"Lord G.o.d!" said Jeremias, "and you are mine! In his name then!" and with unspeakable emotion clasped he his long beloved to his heart. He held her long, and only deep sighs arose from his heart overflowing with happiness. At length he tore himself from her, and as if animated with new youth he sprang forward, and exclaimed to the company a.s.sembled in the library, "Nay, now it is all made up--I take her--she shall have me--she shall have me! She is worthy to be my wife, and I am worthy to be her husband! Now then, you without there, will not you drink our healths?"
All gathered around the bowl--Louise with the rest--the eight following her--it was all a joyful bustle. Leonore and Petrea kept back the little tumultuous ones amid laughter, and promised to carry the gla.s.ses to them if they would only keep their places.
At length quiet returned to the a.s.sembly, the gla.s.ses were filled, and the skl began.
No. 1, which the Judge proposed, was "for the newly betrothed."
No. 2, which Jacobi spoke eloquently, was "for the Parents; for their happiness and well-being," said he, with emotion, "through which I, and so many others as well as I, are blessed!"
No. 3, was drunk to "the prosperity of the new Pastor"s family."
No. 4, for "the new purchased land."
No. 5, for "the old--ever-new Home."
No. 6, was "the health of all good children!" The eight seemed as if they could not return thanks enough.
After this yet a many other particular toasts were given. The young Jacobis drank incessantly to the aunts--Gabriele must continually make her gla.s.s clink against those of her little nephews.
In the mean time Jeremias Munter made with love-warm looks the following speech to his bride. "That was a joke now! that you should have made me of such consequence! How did she know that I would have her? To woo me yourself, and to take me so by surprise! To give me no time to think.
What then? It is quite unheard of! Was the thing arranged beforehand?
No, that is too troublesome. Nay, nay, nay, nay then, nay say I! But now I think about it, it was quite for the best that I accept you--but indeed you were a little hasty; I"ve a good mind to----What now? What is fresh in hand? Comes her little grace, the little sister-in-law, without any ceremony and kisses me. Heavens! the world is very merry!"
But n.o.body in the whole circle found the world so merry as Petrea.
"Are you now satisfied with me, Petrea?" asked Eva, archly laughing.
Petrea clasped her warmly in her arms.
Now the voice of Mother Louise was heard saying, "Nay, nay, children, you must not drink a drop more! What do you say, my little David? A thee-and-thou toast with Uncle Munter? No, thank you greatly, my dear fellow, you can propose that another time. You have drunk to-day toasts enough--more, perhaps, than your little heads can carry."
"I beg for the boys, sister Louise," said the a.s.sessor; "I will propose a skl, and they must drink it with me. Fill, yet once more, the gla.s.ses, little carousers!--I propose a skl for peace! peace in our country, and peace in our homes! A skl for love and knowledge, which alone can make peace a blessing! A skl, in one word, for--Peace upon Earth!"
"Amen! amen!" cried Jacobi, drank off his gla.s.s, and threw it behind him. Louise looked at her mother somewhat astonished, but the mother followed Jacobi"s example; she too was carried away.
"All gla.s.ses to the ground after this skl!" cried the Judge, and sent his ringing against the ceiling. With an indescribable pleasure the little Jacobis threw their gla.s.ses up, and endeavoured to make the skl for Peace as noisy and tumultuous as possible.
We leave now the joyful circle, from which we have seen the mother softly steal away. We see her go into the boudoir, where reposing in comfortable quiet she writes the following lines to her friend and sister:
"I have left them now for a few minutes, in order to rest, and to say a few words to you, my Cecilia. Here it is good and quiet; and joyful voices--truly festival voices, echo to me here. The heart of my Ernst enjoys the highest pleasure, for he sees all his children happy around him. And the children, Cecilia, he has reason to be joyful over them and proud; they stand all around him, good and excellent human beings; they thank him that existence has been given to them, and that they have learned its worth; They are satisfied with their lot. The lost and again-found-one has come home, in order to begin a new life, and her charming child is quite established on the knees of the grandfather.
"I hear Gabriele"s guitar accompanied by a song. I fancy now they dance.
Louise"s eight boys make the floor shake. Jacobi"s voice is heard above all. The good, ever-young man. I also should be joyful, for all in my house is peaceful and well-arranged. And I am so; my heart is full of thankfulness, but my body is weary--very weary.
"The fir-trees on the grave wave and beckon me. I see their tops saluting me in the clear moonlight, and pointing upwards. Dost thou beckon me, my son? Dost thou call me to come home to thee? My first-born, my summer-child! Let me whisper to thee that this is my secret wish. The earth was friendly towards me; friendly was my home: when thou wast gone, my favourite! I began to follow. Perhaps the day of my departure is at hand. I feel in myself as if I were able to go to rest. And might a really bright and beautiful moment be enjoyed by me before my last sleep, I would yet once more press my husband"s hand to my lips, look around me on earth with a blessing, and upwards towards heaven with grat.i.tude, and say as now, out of the depths of my heart, "Thank G.o.d for the home here, and the home there.""
END OF THE HOME.